Chris Taylor was at the center of the Los Angeles Dodgers erasing a 4-0 deficit en route to their walk-off win against the Chicago White Sox, first with a big swing and then on the defensive side.
Taylor’s initial impact came in the form of a game-tying grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning that was also his 100th career home run. “It’s pretty cool to do it in that fashion,” he said after the extra-innings win. “Obviously a big momentum changer for us.”
But just as quickly as Taylor pulled the Dodgers even, the White Sox threatened to take the lead against Shelby Miller. Elvis Andrus started the seventh inning with a double and later reached third base with two outs.
After Luis Robert Jr. kept the inning alive with a walk, he attempted to steal second base. Will Smith faked a throw down and wound up firing to Taylor at third base as Andrus aggressively came down the line.
That started a rundown that ended with Taylor chasing after Andrus and diving to apply the tag a few feet before he could cross home plate.
“I think I made it more difficult than it needed to be,” Taylor said. “I probably should’ve just tossed it to Will. In the rundowns, I always think if you can not throw the ball and tag the guy out, do it.
“It was a little closer than I wanted it to be.”
Taylor’s effort nonetheless was instrumental to the Dodgers bullpen combining for six scoreless innings that in turn eventually led to Freddie Freeman’s walk-off RBI single in the 11th.
Meanwhile, Taylor went 1-for-4 with the grand slam and one walk in his second consecutive start at third base due to Max Muncy being on the mend from a minor left hamstring strain.
Chris Taylor grand slam made MLB history
Taylor became the first player in MLB history for both his first home run of his career and 100th to be a grand slam. The baseball from his milestone homer was retrieved by the Dodgers, authenticated and put in a display case, but Taylor wasn’t certain of where it would go.
“I haven’t even thought about it,” he said. “I don’t know if a fan caught it, but I appreciate them giving it back to me.”
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